Father
by RandyPandy
Summary: One was biologically related to him, yet could not be there for him. The other was not related to him, yet was always there for him. Which one was X's father? -Pre-RMX1-


This is just a little something that I felt like putting up. Featuring X, Dr. Cain, and Dr. Light.

Disclaimer: Rockman X and all related works in this fic do not belong to me. They belong to Capcom. Got it?

* * *

He was biologically related to him, but he could not be there for him.

Dr. Light had created him and had spoken to him for the first few moments of his life before placing him inside the capsule, but X knew that he had cared for him to some degree. The few minutes X had spoken to him showed that Dr. Light was worried about something, and genuine love for X had shone from his eyes before he had locked the capsule and hidden it away. When X had been released from the capsule, he had noticed that the laboratory had been destroyed in a battle – his room had had no indication that it had been there and had actually been discovered by Dr. Cain accidentally, which was why it had been untouched. The very thought caused X to shiver. Had Dr. Light known what was going to happen, which was why, to protect him, he had hidden X away?

If he looked at it in one perspective, X should consider Dr. Light his father. After all, this was the man who was responsible for his very existence and the man who had hidden him away so that he would not be destroyed by whoever had destroyed the laboratory. And yet, at the same time, it felt odd referring to Dr. Light as his father. The memory of Dr. Light was just a dream – the few minutes X had spoken to him were extremely vague and he didn't remember them too well. It had been one hundred years since X was built, so there was no way that he could ever talk to Dr. Light and ever get to know the man.

He was not related to him, but he was always there for him.

Dr. Cain had not created him, but he had been there when X had been released from the capsule, understanding that he was technically a newborn to the way the world worked. The old man's voice had held clear affection for the robot that had suddenly become his ward. Dr. Cain had even admitted to him that he not been searching for X at all; in fact, he hadn't even known that there was a robot in the laboratory that he had fallen into, but that he had been searching for Mesozoic plant life. The two had warmed up to each other very quickly, and Dr. Cain told him numerous things as they made the trek out of the abandoned laboratory. When X had seen the thought of the laboratory and had freaked slightly, Dr. Cain had squeezed his shoulder in a reassuring gesture. Why the obvious display of affection?

If he looked at it in one perspective, X should consider Dr. Cain his father. After all, this was the man who had taught him everything he knew about life in this century and the man who had willingly taken him in, even though he had had no reason to. And yet, at the same time, it felt odd referring to Dr. Cain as his father. He still remembered Dr. Light, and even though Dr. Cain hadn't known about that, he had made a conscious effort so that X would know that Dr. Light was his real father. The scientist had had his own little family, even though they were all gone now, and X knew he couldn't replace them.

Two men, both of them his father and yet at the same time not his father. Who was his father?

* * *

"Where are you taking me, X?"

"I… I need to show you something, Dr. Cain."

"What is it that is so important?"

"Y-you'll see…"

Even though X had to stop and physically carry Dr. Cain past pitfalls, spikes, and up walls, the trek was much easier than it had been the first time X had gone on the journey; the Irregulars were all gone and the traps had all been deactivated.

Finally, X reached his destination: a small room where a deactivated capsule stood. The blue robot lowered Dr. Cain, who merely glanced at the capsule with a confused expression. After all, X had never told him about the capsules he had found on his quest and had said that the armor pieces had been given to him by somebody. That was the most explanation that the old man had ever gotten.

Slowly, X walked up the capsule and tapped it. "Are you there, doctor?"

The capsule lit up and the hologram of a long-dead scientist, Dr. Light, appeared, glowing a translucent blue. Two voices rang out at the same time.

"X, why did you come back here?"

"X, why did you bring me here?"

That was when both Dr. Light and Dr. Cain noticed each other, and X felt that he had better explain the purpose of why the three of them were there.

"Dr. Light, meet Dr. Cain. Dr. Cain, meet Dr. Light."

_Father, meet Father._

_

* * *

_Just for clarification purposes, the first part of the story takes place before X1, so X hadn't encountered Dr. Light yet. As for the bits where X remembers Dr. Light, that was taken from Irregular Hunter X._  
_


End file.
